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Friday, August 24, 2012

This
week has been a little easier than the last few have been. I don't
think there has been much change really. We're just adjusting to
Boo's new reality. Sometimes I guess that's the best that can be
done...at least, short term.

I
did play my fierce mama bear card yesterday. After numerous calls to
Boo's doctor with no results, this week I redoubled my efforts. I
placed three calls daily Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday asking to have
a doctor return my calls. No response. I emailed Boo's blood
pressure, blood sugars and brief daily notes for the last two months
to the medical practice. They were added to his online portal. No
other response. Yesterday, as I was once again emailing Boo's vital
signs and brief daily notes and requesting a referral to a geriatric
neurologist, I noticed a complaint button. I followed the links and
filed a complaint. Amazingly I actually received a call from his
assigned doctor...a rather irate call, but a call nonetheless.
Finally, Boo has an evaluation with a geriatric neurologist scheduled
in the next few weeks!!!

2.

I've
got dough rising for cinnamon swirl bread at 5:30 this morning. For
someone who's not a morning person, that's quite an accomplishment.
Although as mixed up as Boo's days and nights are, who knows what my
body considers morning anymore. A little later today I think I'll
make yogurt in the crock pot.

3.

Boo
is an a Turner Classic Movie roll this week. I've lost count of all
the old movies we've watched. OK, I didn't really watch many of
them. I did listen to them. There really is a big difference in
current movies and those twenty or more years old. Maybe they're more
sanitized, less realistic than what is generally produced today, but
they also have clear morals...many times anyway. I find that
refreshing. This is not a critique of modern movies. I just seem to
like older ones for myself. Perhaps because I'm old?

4.

Boo
is getting interested in social media. I understand his fascination
with Facebook. Children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and
siblings post photos and brief updates that he enjoys. Facebook can
be a useful tool when Boo is confused at times. Boo's fascination
with Twitter and Pininterest has me stumped. I do have accounts on
both, though I just don't try to keep up with either. Time is an
issue. That and other priorities. Is this Boo's safe way to explore
the world now? He doesn't have to leave home and can approach these
media on his own terms...through me admittedly as he just can't seem
to understand how to use a computer or cell phone.

5.

I
talked to one of my roommates from college last night. She went sky
diving last Saturday. Never, never, never have I wanted to jump out
of a plane and hurl toward the earth. Nothing about it seems like a
good idea for me. Evidently, Kathy has always wanted to sky dive.
How did I miss that? Photos of her adventure are on the way and I
can't wait to see her floating above the earth, especially since I
know she's safely landed with no broken bones. Did I mention she's
already planning her next dive??? Boo finds this fascinating and
thinks we should try it. Thanks a lot Kathy! Sky diving is NOT
happening in this household.

6.

Boo
is on his oatmeal kick again. He ate three cups of oatmeal yesterday
morning. Just a few minutes ago he ate another three cups. This
time he also had fruit with it and a rice milk protein shake to go
with it. No coffee for him these days. For a man who could, and
often did, drink a whole pot of coffee by himself before work, this
is a change. Now he doesn't remember liking coffee. On rare
occasion, Boo will ask for a cup of coffee...and drink a few sips.
Oh well...

7.

The
son of a friend of mine is trying to raise money to produce a
Christian adventure film. I was impressed with his presentation and
thought I'd share it. Of course, I remember him best as a somewhat
shy, young child who allowed my just crawling daughter to use him as
a mountain when we visited them years ago. He's grown into a fine
young man.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

"A sense of humor...is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person deep down has a pretty good grasp of life." ---Hugh Sidey

A short while ago, one of our honorary nieces came to visit with her daughter. Boo thoroughly enjoyed watching her smile and laugh and walk around the edge of the coffee table. She is such a joyful, happy child. Somehow I missed getting a photo of Boo with her. Today he has enjoyed looking at her photos and remembering. The quote by Hugh Sidey really hit home for me today. No matter the confusion, no matter the lack of ability Boo demonstrates, he still understands what is most important in life. Right now, one of my most important roles in his life is to help him access his joy in life. I need to remind him in as many ways as possible that life is good...even with confusion...even with diminished abilities...even with whatever the future brings. Word Art Wednesday,God Bumps and Incidences,Play Dates With God,Word Candy Wednesdays

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

a
squirrel is chattering at Boudreaux who is staring intently at the
bushy tailed little creature. Boo is cautioning Boudreaux about
squirrels and how fast and devious they are. I'm sure there's a
story hidden in Boo's mind about squirrels that I haven't heard.

I
am thinking...

about
taking Boo and Boudreaux to the backyard for a picnic supper this
evening.

I
am thankful...

for
the slight reprieve in Boo's mindset this morning. I doubt it will
last all day, but I'm coming to appreciate and grab these precious
moments.

In
the kitchen...

is
leftover whole wheat banana bread. And roast chicken. Maybe I'll
make chicken pie for supper or a chicken salad.

I
am wearing...

a
soft sage green three quarter sleeve tee with comfortable light
weight jeans and bare feet. Hummm...I need to paint my toe nails.
Yeah well, that's probably not going to the top of my to do list.

I
am creating...

several
digital scrapbook pages. I like digital scrapping. No mess to clean
up, easy repositioning of pieces and I can drop it when Boo needs me
without loosing my train of thought...often. (Boo unraveled one of
my potholders a couple of weeks ago. So, I'm not crocheting right
now.)

I
am reading...

several
articles on dementia. So far, I'm wading through these articles.
They're written for medical professionals not for lay people like me.
I keep hoping I'll learn something practical and helpful from them.
Thus far, that hasn't happened.

I
am hoping...

to
hear from one of the geriatric neurologists I've contacted. I really
want Boo to have another neurological exam to determine what is
happening and what can be done to help alleviate his confusion.

I
am learning...

to
take Boudreaux's cold shoulder in stride. Sunday night I bathed
him...again. Before he always took baths with a regal feline
disdain. Now, he's taken it very personally and will have nothing to
do with me. (He will allow me to feed him, but refuses to touch his
food until I move away from it. You never can tell what those
suspicious female humans might do!)

Around
the house...

it
is exceptionally quiet. That won't last I know, but I'm planning to
enjoy it while I can.

A
favorite quote for today...

“Our
problem is not just believing that God could inhabit bread. It is
believing that God could inhabit us.” Fr. John Kavanaugh

One
of my favorite things...

is
kneading yeast bread. It's one of my favorite stress relievers bar
none. Besides, I like the smell of bread while it's baking and well,
nothing tastes like bread warm from the oven.

A
peek into the recent past...

This
beautiful little girl and her mother came to visit for a few days.
Boo loved watching her and listening to her giggle and babble.

I'm sorry for being absent for so long. Boo's dementia is more pronounced and I have significantly less time to blog. We are trying different approaches to handle this: medical, lifestyle changes and lots of peace and quiet for him. Please pray with us as we try to discern the best path for Boo and for comfort for him.

These last few weeks, Boo's confusion and fear have eaten away at his peace. When he was given Communion recently, this scripture was quoted and Boo has remembered it. Often when he is disoriented and aware of it, he'll pray for peace. Just a few months in similar circumstances, Boo would pray to be aware of where he was. I find this change very telling. His bedrock isn't based on his physical circumstances, but on his spiritual. He wants God's peace in the midst of confusion. That's been a practical and needed lesson for me. In the midst of all the unrest in the world around me, in the midst of all Boo's confusion and neediness, in the midst of my overworked mind and exhausted body, God freely gives me of His Peace. What more could I need? What more do any of us need?

Friday, August 3, 2012

It
seems that Boo and I both have our days and nights mixed up. So, this
post will be short and sweet. Last night, or should I say very early
this morning, Boo and I listened to classical music and reminisced
about saying we used to hear that we haven't heard in a long time.
Here are our missed favorites.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Yesterday
was a very busy day for Boo. We had to be out and about for a
couple of hours and he had to walk significantly more than usual.
Boo handled it all quite well. Our only difficulty came when Boo
woke in the early morning hours confused and disoriented...and
certain that we were still out. With a lot of help from Boudreaux
(the meowing, purring kind of help), Boo finally settled down enough
to look at photos.

This
morning's favorite photos were of snow. In fact, snow photos were
the only ones that held his interest. We looked at photos of two
granddaughters taken during a trip to Alaska this past winter, photos
of Boo and of Boudreaux in the snow and photos of me in Vermont. The
more Boo talked about snow, the more excited he got. All at once, he
stood up and headed to the door. He was going out in the snow! When
he opened the door and was confronted with the summer heat, he cried.
He had so wanted snow.

I
couldn't give him snow. That just doesn't happen at the beginning of
August in North Carolina. I did make him four homemade snow cones.
At 3:30 am, that was the best substitute I could manage. As it turns
out, snow cones were a wonderful treat. Part of a can of no sugar
added canned fruit, crushed ice, stevia and a drop of food coloring
whirled in the blender makes a passable snow cone that doesn't raise
his blood sugar. I think homemade ice cream is in order this
evening.

After
his snow cones, Boo was willing to go back to bed...which meant
bedtime prayers all over again. God has been thoroughly thanked for
snow, for cold weather, for snow cones, for snow men, for hot
chocolate and for long johns (!!!). As soon as Boo finished his
prayer, it started thundering. Usually thunderstorms are upsetting
enough that Boo requires medication to tolerate them. Not this
morning. This morning he calmly added, “And thank You for thunder
and rain since You've forgotten how to make snow.”

This
morning I'm thankful for a God who surrounds us with the heat of
summer, the crisp days of autumn, the cold, snowy days of winter and
the warm days of spring...an infinite variety of weather to satisfy
us. I'm grateful for rest in the midst of thunderstorms. And I'm
grateful that Boo is able to share the strange and wonderful twists
and turns his mind takes. Even in the confused episodes of Boo's
days, he can feel God's presence, recount his memories and be
thankful for it all. God is good!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

"Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

When Boudreaux was a little kitten, he played and played until he was exhausted. Boo would call him and Boudreaux would muster enough energy to run to him for a bottle and to be gently eased to sleep. Isn't that the way it is with us? We rush around and busy ourselves with mundane things until we're exhausted. Jesus calls us to come to Him for rest and for refreshment. Let's answer His call, rest in Him and awake to serve Him.

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About Me

We are Catholic Christians on a journey into the unknown world of life after stroke,
of learning to handle changing physical and mental abilities,
of finding creative ways to foster independence
and, most of all, loving God, each other and our family.